Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, who took over as UN Security Council President for the month of December, said here on Thursday that India does not need to be told what to do regarding democracy.
On Thursday, India was elected to lead the 15-member UN Security Council for the month of December. During this time, India will host major conferences on multilateralism reform and terrorism prevention. India will end its two-year term as an elected non-permanent member of the influential UN body at the end of the Presidency.
At the horse-shoe table, Kamboj, the first female Permanent Representative of India to the UN, will occupy the president’s seat. She spoke to media at the UN headquarters on the first day of India’s presidency about the monthly agenda of events.
In response to a question about press freedom and democracy in India, she stated, “We don’t need to be told what to do about democracy.
“As you are all aware, India may have the oldest civilization in the world. India has always been a democracy, with roots dating back more than 2,500 years. Since very recently, the legislative branch, the executive branch, the judiciary, and the fourth estate, the press, have all been functioning well. And social media is highly active. Thus, it is the largest democracy in the world.
“Every five years, we hold the biggest democratic election in history. Everyone is free to say whatever they want, and that’s how our nation runs. Reformation, transformation, and change are occurring quickly. And the trajectory has been fantastic. You don’t have to pay attention to me or listen to what I have to say. This is what others are saying,’ Kamboj said.
